Waistband stretcher



y 20, 1958 F. J. MARCHESE 2,835,421

WAISTBAND STRETCHER Filed March 23, 1956 IN V EN TOR. Fv/m/k- L7." NR7?c ms'sz' United States Patent This invention relates to a waistbandstretcher and more particularly to a device for stretching thewaistbands of garments such as trousers, skirts and the like.

An object of the present invention is to provide such a device which isinexpensive to manufacture and is particularly useful for preventingshrinkage of garments after they have been washed or cleaned.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stretching device forstretching waistbands of athletic garments such as football and baseballtrousers and the like, and, particularly, for preventing shrinkage ofsuch garments after they have been washed.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be more clearlyunderstood from the following description and from the accompanyingdrawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a waistband stretching device embodying thepresent invention.

Fig. 2 is a front view of said device with central portions thereofbroken away.

Fig. 3 is a similar view of the rear of the device.

Fig. 4 is a sectional end view on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front view of an end portion of one of themembers of said device, partially in central vertical section. t

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary rear view of an end portion of the other memberof the device, also shown in central vertical section.

As shown in the drawings, my improved stretching device is constructedof a pair of elongated bars 5 and 6 which are telescopically connectedand are slidable with relation to each other to permit adjustment of thedevice to different desired lengths.

The cross-sectional shapes 'of the bars 5 and 6 are preferably formed sothat they can be extruded of a suitable metal to reduce the cost ofmanufacture. The bar 5 is formed to provide a pair of opposed flanges7-7 having ribs 8-8 upon their inner sidesextending inwardly towardseach other. The bar 6 has a pair of opposed flanges 9-9 which havegrooves 10-10 in.their outer sides to receive the ribs 8 8 and therebyslidably connect the said bars 5 and 6 together. i

The ends of said bars 5 and 6 are provided with abutment members 11 and12, respectively, which are secured to the ends of their respective barsby suitable pins 13 and are preferably semicircular in cross-section andextend beyond the sides of their respective bars so as to overlap andcover the exposed end portion of the other bar when the device is inclosed position.

The abutment member 12 has a hook 14 secured thereto, and a hook 15 ismounted adjacent the end portion of the bar 5 so that the said hooks maybe grasped to slide the bars 5 and 6 relatively to each other when it isdesired to lengthen or shorten the device for different waist sizes.

A locking screw 16 is threaded to the bar 6 adjacent the end portionthereof and extends through a flange 9 of said bar and is engageablewith the inner side of the opposite bar 5 so as to secure the said barstogether in adjusted positions.

v of flanges extending from one side thereof and disposed The upper edgeof the bar 5 is provided with a series of graduations which are spacedand numbered to indicate sizes of garments, and the device is adjustableto the 'diflerent sizes indicated by aligning the free end 6-4 of thebar 6 with thegraduations indicating the size to which it is desired tostretch a particlar waistband.

In the use of my improved waistband stretching device, the garment,which usually has been previously washed, is first buttoned or otherwisefastened at the waist. My improved device is then inserted within thewaist so that the abutment members 1112 will engage opposite sidesthereof. The said device is then lengthened by sliding the bars 5 and 6apart until the end of the bar 6 is aligned with the graduationindicating the size to which the waist is to be stretched. The screw 16is then tightened to retain the said bars in adjusted position, and thesaid stretching device with the garment thereon is hung on a line by thehooks 14 and 15. The garment is left on the stretcher until dry to setthe stretch in the waist, and the device may then be removed.

Where a considerable amount of stretch is desired, the device may beadjusted in steps until the garment is stretched to the desired size.

I claim:

1. A waistband stretching device including a first elongated bar havinga pair of opposed flanges extending therefrom along its opposite edges,a second elongated ber slidably connected to the first bar and having apair between the said flanges of the first bar, the adjacent flanges ofthe said bars having a rib and groove connection therebetween slidablyretaining the said bars together, abutment members upon the outer end ofeach of said bars overlapping the end portion of the opposite bar, ahook connected to each of said bars adjacent the outer end thereof, anda locking screw threaded to and extending through one of said bars andengaging the other bar for securing said device in different adjustedpositions.

2. A waistband stretching device including a first elongated bar havinga pair of opposed flanges extending from one side thereof along itsopposite edges, a rib extending inwardly from each of said flanges, asecond bar having a pair of flanges extending from one side thereof andeach engaging the inner side of the adjacent flange of the first bar,the said flanges of the second bar each having a groove in its outerside to receive the rib of the adjacent flange of the first bar forslidably connecting said bars together, an abutment member secured tothe outer end of each of said bars, indicia on one of said barscooperating with the inner end of the opposite bar for indicating thedifferent lengths to which the said device is adjustable, a hook mountedto the abutment member of the first bar, a separate hook mountedadjacent the outer end of the second bar, and a locking screw extendingthrough one of the flanges of the second bar and engageable with theinner side of the opposite bar between the flanges thereof for securingthe said bars in adjusted position.

3. A waistband stretching device as set forth in claim 2 wherein theabutment members are secured to their respective bars by fastening meansextending into the free ends of the flanges thereof.

4. A waistband stretching device including a first elongated bar memberhaving spaced flanges extending longitudinally thereof providing achannel therebetween, a second elongated bar member having portionsfitting within said channel and extending adjacent said flanges, a ribextending longitudinally of each of said flanges, said ribs beingreceived in grooves in the adjacent portions of said second bar memberwhereby said bar members are interconnected for relative longitudinalsliding Patented May 20, 1 958 3 movement, and means for locking saidbars in difierent adjusted positions.

5. A waistband stretching device including a first elongated bar havinga pair of opposed flanges extending substantially perpendicularlytherefrom along its oppositeedges, a second elongated bar adjacent theedges of the flanges of the first bar and having a pair of flanges alongone side thereof extending between the flanges on said first bar, onepair of said flanges having ribs extending lengthwise thereof and theother pair having grooves therein receiving said ribs whereby said barsare interconnected for relative longitudinal sliding movement, and alocking screw threaded to and extending through one of said bars andengageable with the other bar for locking said bars in difierentadjusted positions.

6. The subject matter set forth in claim 5 wherein said locking screw isthreaded transversely through one of the flanges on the second barwhereby the inner end of said screw is engageable with the inner side ofthe first bar for securing said bars in different adjusted positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS761,803 Wickelberg June 7, 1904 798,547 Walsh Aug. 29, l905 2,467,669Harvey Apr. 19, 1949

